Mint Pulav with Tomato Peanut Salsa

Pudina (mint) pulav is like the yummiest food of all times! Yes, hands down it wins. All of you there who say you don't like mint, I challenge you to not like, oh no, not love this!!!
I am not bragging but this rice is sooo aromatic and flavorful that anyone I have served to simply could not get enough. So many of my friends who said mint is too strong now are big fans. All thanks to my mum's recipe 😊

For the mint rice, you will need -

Two Handfuls - Washed fresh mint leaves
5-6 Strands - Coriander leaves
2 Inch - Ginger
4-5 Cloves - Garlic
1-2  - Green Chilies
1-2 - Cloves
1/2 Inch - Cinnamon
1 Pod - Cardamom
1 Small or 1/2 of a Big - Onion
200 - 250gms - Basmati Rice soaked
A Cup - Green Peas or Corn or Paneer Cubes
A Tspn - Fennel Seeds
5 Tbspns - Oil + Butter
Salt
1 Tspn - Turmeric Powder (Optional)
1 Tspn - Red Chili Powder (Optional)
1 Tspn - Garam Masala (Optional)
2 Tspns - Vinegar or 1 Tbspn - Yoghurt or 1/4 of Lime Squeezed (any one for the tartness)

Method -
The ingredients list is long but it is really very easy to make. All the ingredients up until the rice, blend it to a fine paste. If cooking in a pressure cooker, heat the oil and the butter, add the fennel seeds. Then add the ground mixture and sauté really well, for about 8-10 mins. As you sauté add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, if you want a little more spice or you can avoid it. If using yoghurt for tartness add now. Add the peas or corn if using, now. Once the color changes into dark green and the aroma is all over the house, add the rice, after draining the water. Mix well. Add the garam masala now if you want. If using lemon juice or vinegar for tartness, add that now. If your rice measures two cups, add two cups of water, basically rice to water is 1:1 ratio. Add salt as per your taste. Cover the lid, let it blow three whistles and turn off the gas. Once the pressure is released, open, mix well and if using paneer, add now. Cover and let the flavors infuse for a few minutes before serving.
If cooking in a pan, I would suggest you cook the rice separately. Follow the same steps for the initial part of the recipe. Add the cooked rice once the ground paste is sauted well, add salt. Mix well. Turn off the heat and then add lemon juice or vinegar and paneer. Mix and cover to let the flavors infuse.

For the Salsa -
1 - Onion
1 - Tomato
1 - Green Pepper
A small bunch - Coriander Leaves
A small cup - Roasted Peanuts
3-4 Tspns - Tomato Ketchup
Salt and Pepper

Method -
Fine chop onion, tomato, pepper and cilantro. Mix all the ingredients and serve!

 

Coriander Rice with Butternut Squash Palya

Rice is an all time favorite in my house. Between my husband and my son even twenty different recipes of rice won't suffice! So constant innovation of flavors with rice is always on my mind. Thanks to my Kannada lineage I have a good repertoire to fall back on but even then new ones are always welcome. So here is one, my friend Smita, taught me. Simple, authentically South Indian and bold in taste and color!

For Coriander Rice, you will need -

1 big bunch - Coriander/Cilantro Leaves
A tablespoon - Fresh/frozen grated coconut
2-3 - Red Chilies
3-4 - Curry Leaves (optional)
3 teaspoons - Oil
1 teaspoon - Mustard seeds
2 Cups - Cooked Rice (approx. 200gms rice that is cooked)

Method -
Grind the coriander leaves, curry leaves, coconut and red chilies, coarsely. Heat the oil in a wide bottom pan, add the mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Add the ground mixture and sauté for about five minutes, till it turns dark green and is cooked. Now add salt and the cooked rice. Turn off the heat and give it a good mix. My son loves colorful food and turns out one of his favorite colors is green. So he loved this and gobbled it with gusto.

This can be eaten with a bowl of curd/yoghurt if you make the rice itself a bit spicy by adding more chilies. If not, a simple squash side is a great accompaniment. With it's tender and sweet flavor it really compliments the hard hitting coriander's aroma and taste.

For the Butternut Squash playa (stir fry), you will need -

1/2 - Butternut Squash (peeled and diced)

If not this, you can use any kind of sweet pumpkin or squash.

2-3 teaspoons - Oil
A teaspoon - Mustard Seeds
2-3 - Red Chilies
1/2 teaspoon - Turmeric Powder
A small piece of - Jaggery or 2 teaspoons Sugar
Salt as per your liking

Method -
Heat oil in a wok or pan. Add the mustard, allow to crackle. Then add the chilies. To this add the diced squash, salt and turmeric. Cover and cook for ten to twelve minutes, till the squash is tender. Add the jaggery or sugar and cook till all the liquid evaporates. Serve with the rice.

Photo Source: http://foodcomas.com/2010/12/28/butternut-squash-soup/

 

Sicilian Style Eggplant Fritters

Bajji, bonda, hapla, sandige, pakoda - all different kinds of deep fried glory from my mom's kitchen. As humans, we share a deep connection to something fried and crispy. I recently borrowed a Mediterranean style cook book from the library (oh-so-awesome library!) and one glance at these fritters, I was in love. I had to try these, I love eggplants, in any form.

For these golden balls you will need -

1 - Big Eggplant
2 Cloves - Garlic (fine chopped)
About 30gm - Parmesan (about 3 tablespoons)
2 - Eggs (lightly beaten)
Herbs - Basil and Parsley (2 tspn each, dried) Or if using fresh herbs use wisely
Salt and pepper wisely!
3 Slices - Whole wheat bread (Turned into crumbs)

1/2 Cup - Oil for frying

Method -

Rub some olive oil on the eggplant. Slice lengthwise in half and bake on a baking sheet at 400 deg F for 20 - 25 minutes. That is till it is tender and golden.

 

In the meantime, mix the eggs, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper.

 





Once the eggplants are done. Cool and scoop off the flesh. Add it to the mixture. Add about half or more of the bread crumbs to the mixture so you can form balls in your hand. Use the remaining crumbs to coat and deep fry till they turn golden brown.
Serve as it is, these are so flavorful and delicious!
Or serve it with fragrant, colorful rice and Indian style dal... coming soon!

Banana Chocolate Bread

When you have overripe bananas, you make banana bread. Once decided, why not add some dark gold to it and make it a treat!

You will need -

1 1/2 Cups - Flour
1/4 Cup - Vegetable Oil
2 Tablespoons - Cocoa Powder
1 Cup - Sugar
2-3 - Overripe, mashed bananas
2 - Eggs
1/4 Teaspoon - Salt
1 Teaspoon - Baking Soda

Method -

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, cocoa powder and baking soda. Mix well. Add the eggs, oil and the mashed bananas. Mix till you get a consistent brown batter, do not over mix.
Pour into a greased loaf pan, 8 1/2 inches x 4 1/2 inches or three small pans, like I did!

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 deg F for about 20 - 25 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Quinoa served two ways!

Quinoa as it is, has a slight nutty flavor but nothing spectacular. It is like rice or wheat or raagi. They have a subtle flavor which is enhanced by mixing it with the right ingredients.
Here are two actually three ways I have tried and we loved all of them. Of course my little one is not a big fan of quinoa but I am sure he will get there!

QUINOA with FRIED EGG

For this you will need -
2 Cups - Cooked Quinoa
3 Tablespoons - Olive Oil
2 Pods - Garlic (fine chopped)
1/2 - Red Onion (fine chopped)
1/2 Cup - Boiled and blanched Green Peas
1/2 Cup - Boiled and blanched Asparagus
1/4 Cup - Mushrooms (sliced)
2 Spoons - Olives (chopped)
A small chunk of Goat Cheese
1 Egg
Salt, pepper - As you desire
3 Teaspoons - Dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary)
Dash of Vinegar

Method -
Cook the quinoa as per the instructions on the package. In another pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion. Fry till the onion is translucent. Add in the mushrooms, sauté well with some salt. Once cooked, add the peas and the asparagus. Cook the peas and the asparagus in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then dunk them in ice cold water. This will make them retain their beautiful color while being just cooked right! Now, add some more salt, pepper and the herbs. Give it a good toss, add the quinoa. Toss it all again. Turn off the heat. Garnish with olives (I used preserved olives with pimiento from a bottle) and goat cheese ( I used one flavored with garlic and herbs). Being in this country has its advantages! So many things to choose from. If not using preserved olives, add a dash of vinegar too to add a little bit of zing!
Fry an egg with salt and pepper and making sure the yolk is only set on the outside. Top the quinoa with the egg, so when one cuts into it, it oozes the beautiful golden liquid!

 

QUINOA with STIR-FRIED SHRIMP

 

For this you will need -

1/2 Cup - Shrimp

1 Tablespoon - Butter

Salt and pepper

Half of a Lime

 

Melt butter in a pan. Add the shrimp, salt and pepper. Toss for a couple of minutes till the shrimp is just done. Turn off the heat, squeeze the lime and serve hot.

 

Or third way, serve with herb-crusted salmon!

 

 

Samosas!

Who doesn't love spicy potatoes wrapped in a golden crunchy exterior! This, Samosa, is the quintessential snack of Northern India. I have always wanted to try it and I can say it needs a bit of dexterity and patience. But it is all worth the effort.

This recipe makes about 8 - 10 Samosas.

For the outer covering, you will need -

1/2 cup - All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon - Salt
2 tablespoons - Oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup - Lukewarm Water

Method -
Take the flour and the salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well with your hands. Now add the oil and mix well again, so that lumps are formed. Add lukewarm water, little by little, till you get a firm and soft dough. Set aside this dough for 30 minutes.

For the potato-peas filling, you will need -

2 - Medium sized potatoes (boiled and peeled and crushed with hand)
1/2 cup - Boiled Peas
2 teaspoons - Coriander seeds
4-5 - Red Chillies
4 teaspoons - Jeers/Cumin Seeds
1 - Clove
1/4 inch - Cinnamon stick
1 - Cardamom pod
Salt to your taste

Method -
Grind coriander seeds, cumin, red chilies, clove, cinnamon and cardamom to a coarse powder.

Now, add a couple of spoons of this powder with salt to the crushed potato and peas. Mix well. Taste and add salt or the spice mixture if you feel it is not adequate. Remember that when you fry, the spiciness reduces, so you an make this mixture slightly spicy to start with.

Making the Samosas -
Divide the dough into 4 - 5 equal sized balls. Take one ball and roll it on a oiled surface to a circle that is about 8cm in diameter. Do not use flour while rolling, if it feels sticky, use oil. Try to make it as thin as possible. This is a bit tricky. If it is thick, the Samosa will have a thick covering and not taste very good, if it is too thin, the stuffing can come out in the oil while frying. So, use yurt best judgment.
Once rolled, cut in half. Take one half and join along the circumference, with the diameter now shaped as a circle. Basically making an ice cream cone that you can hold between your thumb and forefinger. I am sorry I didn't take a pic of this, I couldn't as both my hands were messy! Hope you got the drift, else watch a video on you tube like this -  http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/04/19/samosa/

Stuff the cone with as much stuffing as possible, taking care not to overstuff. Close it on top too, making sure there is no opening anywhere.

Heat oil in a kadai, once hot (check by dropping a piece of the dough, it should sizzle), reduce the flame to medium - high and drop the Samosas one by one. Fry till they are golden brown and serve hot!

 

Mushroom Peas Paneer in a Rich Gravy

This used to be my favorite dish in restaurants back in India. This rich, creamy curry goes really well with roti, naans and even rice.

For this you will need -
1 Cup - Sliced or cut Mushrooms
1/2 Cup - Green Peas
1/2 Cup - Cubed Pander
1/2 - Onion (Sliced)
6 - 8 - Cashew Nuts (Soaked)
2 - Cloves
1 - Cardamom
1/4" - Cinnamon
2 tspn - Black pepper powder
1 tspn - Turmeric powder
1 tspn - Coriander and Cumin powder
1 tspn - Red Chili powder
1/2 tspn - Garam Masala Powder
1 tbspn - Yoghurt
1 Tbspn - Fresh Cream
Salt as you desire
2 Tbspn - Oil

Method -
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a thick bottom pot and fry the pander cubes. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside. Now add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Stir fry and add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Fry till the onion turns golden brown. Allow to cool and grind this to a fine paste. Then grind the cashews to a fine paste too.
In the same pot, add the remaining oil. Add the mushroom, sauté for a bit. Add the peas and turmeric powder next and again sauté for a couple of minutes.

 

 

Now add the ground paste. And fry for a few minutes.

 



Then add the salt, cumin, coriander powder, red chili powder, black pepper powder, yoghurt and cream. Give it a good mix and turn off after five minutes. Garnish with garam masala powder.